Sango Japanese Port Moody

The service was outstanding; we were seated right away, and our server was exceptionally friendly and warm. They were very attentive, and our food was served promptly. Everything we ordered was fresh and tasted amazing.

I was ordering a meal that cost over twenty dollars, not including tax and tip, which would have still brought in decent revenue for the restaurant. Given that I had never dined there before, they could have potentially gained a new repeat customer, had the service been better. To make matters worse, the restaurant was nearly empty, with only one other table occupied. We were seated right by the window, a prime location for attracting passersby, which is what a restaurant manager typically wants. Yet, because the server was so reluctant to serve us and spoke to us in a rude and unprofessional manner, my mother and I decided to leave. If I were her manager, I would be furious to learn about this incident. As a professional in the food industry myself, it’s disappointing that I never got to sample the food—this experience was overshadowed by the poor service and lack of basic etiquette from our server. It not only ruined my appetite but prompted me to write this review. I will never return to this restaurant due to the way my mother and I were treated, and I will certainly share my experience with others. It’s no surprise the place was so empty.

I would recommend sticking to the cooked dishes at this restaurant. The chicken karaage don was quite tasty. However, when it comes to sushi, you might want to look somewhere else. I ordered the Hawaiian Roll (around $14 if I recall correctly), but it was drenched in sauce and overly salty, masking the flavors of any other ingredients. Additionally, there wasn't much fish either on or inside the roll. It was quite challenging to finish. I hope they can make improvements, but even if it were a budget-friendly place (which it isn't), the sushi doesn't justify the price.

We stopped by for lunch with the family, as we had a decent experience there in the past. Unfortunately, this time the food did not meet our expectations. We ordered an unagi roll, but several pieces barely contained any unagi at all. I politely brought this to the server's attention, but she looked at me as if I didn't know what I was talking about and didn’t say anything in response. After waiting a while, I approached the owner to explain the situation, but he responded with a similar look and remained silent as well. To add to our disappointment, he still charged us full price. We really want to support small businesses, but I struggle to understand how they can thrive with such a lack of customer service. I wish them the best, but I won't be returning.

The food simply doesn't warrant the price. I was disappointed with everything in the lunch special. For $18, the portions were small and not worth it. The chicken tasted undercooked but was actually overdone, and it was drenched in chili sauce to hide its blandness. The miso soup was decent, but overall, I didn't feel great afterward.